O'Reiley Sega: FATHER'S DAUGHTER
by mrjop2
Summary: Danielle's past begins to unfold as her father, Oswald Cobbelpot, aka the Penguine, returns to New Gotham declaring that he has gone straight and desires to be a better father to Danielle. Barbara is suspicious about his true intentions, and keeps her eye
1. Father to the Rescue

THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT MEANT TO INFRINGE ON ANY COPYRIGHT LAW SET BY WARNER BROTHERS. THIS IS MEANT FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSE AND FOR MY CONTRIBUTION IN WANTING TO SEE THE TELEVISION SERIES BROUGHT BACK. IF YOU ARE A FAN OF BIRDS OF PREY AND YOU ARE UPSET ABOUT ITS CANCELLATION, VISIT THE WEB SITE www.birdsofpreyonline.com. THIS IS STORY 7 OF A NEW SEGA CONTINUING WHERE DEVIL EYES LEFT OFF.  
  
Birds of Prey  
  
The Commissioner O'Reiley Series  
  
STORIES IN THE COMMISSIONER O'REILEY SERIES:  
  
Episode 1: Huntress the Hunted Part 1  
  
Episode 2: Huntress the Hunted Part 2  
  
Episode 3: Nightwing  
  
Episode 4: Walking on Air  
  
Episode 5: Blind Faith   
  
Episode 6: Think No Evil, Do No Evil  
  
  
  
Episode 7  
  
Father's Daughter  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
Helena was sent flying into a street lamp at full force. She hit the ground and laid there, stunned by the pain. Danielle leaped in front of her, to protect her from further attacks. Danielle stood there defensively, waiting for Raven to make the first move. She hated fighting to the max. She was dragged into this fight when Raven found Helena in the bar. Luckily, they were able to get her out of the bar without too much damage to the bar, and also luckily the bar was not open yet.  
  
"You are so damn annoying!" Raven said agitatedly. Raven charged Danielle and took a swing for her face. Danielle leaned back while reaching in front of her and grabbing her by the wrist. Danielle pulled Raven closer to her and kicked her in the chest.  
  
Raven stumbled backwards a few steps. Danielle hoped to take advantage of it and went in with a punch, but Raven blocked had recovered quickly and blocked her punch. Danielle withdrew her fist and brought her left leg up to kick Raven. Raven crossed her wrists to deflect that attack. Raven leaped over Danielle and reflected herself off the wall of the building with her left foot and twisted around just in time to fool Danielle and kick her across the face. Danielle flipped to the ground.  
  
Dinah came out of no where to plant the flat of her foot into her chest. Raven went flying backwards. Just before she was about to land on her back, she leaned back and used the G-force to flip upside down. She landed on both hands and used the strength in her arms to push herself up and flip the rest of the way to land on her feet.  
  
Raven looked at Dinah with fire in her eyes. "I haven't forgotten you! You are going to die along side of the Huntress!" She morphed into Dinah's doppelganger. Dinah had become so powerful that the only way Raven could keep up was fighting Dinah with her own body. This neutralized her telepathic powers. This forced Dinah to remain in physical combat, in which Raven was far superior even trapped in Dinah's limited body.   
  
Dinah stared at Raven intently. Soon, her hair began to flap as she elevated herself off the ground, hoping to intimidate Raven with her new powers. Raven took a running start towards Dinah and leaped at her, wither right leg stretched out in front of her. Dinah closed her eyes and there was almost like an invisible force exploding from her, sending Raven flying across the street. Before she could crash into the wall, Raven used her copied powers to stop herself in mid air.   
  
Before Raven knew it, Helena came crashing into her with her foot, finishing her trip to the wall. Raven crashed into and then slid down the wall. Raven was quick to get back onto her feet. "Very sneaky!" Raven grinned as she morphed into Inferno. With a point of her right palm, she released a pillar of fire that shot out at Helena. Helena did back flips to try to avoid being caught by the fire, but the fire followed her all the way back to the other end of the empty street. Dinah stared at the pillar of fire and formed an invisible force field between Helena and the fire.   
  
Raven looked up at Dinah with annoyance. Before she could make another attack on Dinah, Danielle stepped up in front of her, looking for another bout. Raven lunged at her with her fist. Danielle dodged the punch and retaliated with a kick into Raven's ribs. That sneak attack by Danielle stunned Raven momentarily, giving Danielle another open shot. Danielle tried to take it, and tried to kick her behind her right knee to lay her flat on her back, but she seemed to have predicted that move when she did a low black flip over Danielle's leg.  
  
Now, it was Danielle who was open for a shot, and Raven saw her moment of opportunity, and she took it. She gave her a powerful kick in Danielle's back, sending her down to the ground. Dinah came to Danielle's rescue as she came flying in front of Raven. Raven back flipped away from Dinah but planned it perfectly so that her feet, while swinging upward, hit Dinah under her chin, causing her to step back a few steps.  
  
Dinah rubbed her chin making sure it was not broken. She looked up to see raven coming at her with the flat of her right foot at her chest. Dinah had no time to react as Dinah flew a few feet before hitting the ground. Helena tried to take Raven by surprise from her right, but she stepped back, obviously having seen Helena from the corner of her eye. Helena tried again with a wild swing, but again Raven ducked under that attack and kicked Helena behind her right knee, causing Helena to fall to the ground.  
  
Raven morphed into Dinah and used Dinah's power to elevate Helena off the ground. "It's time for you to fly!" Raven used Dinah's power to throw her into the driver side door of a parked car.  
  
Danielle again stepped in to take on Raven. Raven morphed back into her own body once again, and the two girls continued their fight. Danielle got in a punch or two, but then Raven started getting in some powerful punches and kicks to Danielle's ribs. With one powerful uppercut, Danielle hit the ground, to stunned to get up.  
  
Raven took a step towards Danielle to finish her off until a voice echoed down the empty back road. "Enough!" Raven looked to see a medium sized chubby man standing in the shadow. He was leaning on something that looked like an umbrella.   
  
"Stay out of this or you will share the same fate," Raven warned.  
  
"I highly doubt that. You may be strong and a great fighter, but that is nothing compared to intelligence. You depending solely on your powers and fighting makes you a complete novice in the underworld."  
  
"Who the hell do you think you are, insulting me like that? I can kill you without hesitation."  
  
"I highly doubt that," the man replied.  
  
"Enough. I had enough of you!" Raven stormed towards the man and bringing her first behind before swinging for his face.  
  
The man swung his umbrella upward to block her attack. "Ah!" Her arm stung from hitting that umbrella. The man speedily swung the umbrella, hitting Raven in the knees. Raven yelped in paid, as her knees nearly gave out from underneath her. With the back of his hand, he slapped Raven across the face, busting open Raven's lip. "It will do you well to leave now."  
  
"I'm going to kill you!" Raven morphed into Inferno and pointed the palm of her hand towards the man. The man pointed the top end of the umbrella towards Raven and sprayed a purplish gas into Raven. Raven's body instantly and involuntarily morphed back into her own body. "What the hell?"  
  
"It's a little gas that I invented that temporarily stunts the use of any meta-powers, including your morphing capabilities. Now, with the three girls coming around and myself, and without your morphing powers, you are outmatched and overpowered."  
  
Raven cursed her breath. "I'll be back to finish what I started!" Raven ran down an alleyway and vanished.  
  
Helena looked at the man who had helped them defeat Raven. "Hey Oracle, are you seeing this? Do you know who he is?"  
  
* * * *   
  
Barbara pushed a few buttons on the keyboard to get a clearer view of the man. Was the image cleared, she leaned back in her seat in disarray. "I don't believe it!"  
  
* * * *   
  
"Well?" Helena asked.  
  
"His name is Oswald Cobblepot. His alias is the Penguin, one of your fathers arch enemies," Barbara voice said over their ear pieces.  
  
That's all Helena had to hear. She posed herself ready to take on the Penguin when he approached Danielle. "Danielle, watch it! He's dangerous!"  
  
She did not hear Helena as she stood up and stared at the man who was approaching her. "Dad?" 


	2. A New Leaf

CHAPTER 2  
  
"Yes, honey, it's me!" Oswald replied.  
  
"Wha-what are you doing here?" Danielle said, with a look of confusion on her face.  
  
"I've come to see you. It has been a very long time."  
  
"Wait a minute, Danielle, are you telling me that the Penguin, here, is your father?"  
  
Danielle looked down to her feet, giving no reply to Helena's question. Oswald took it upon himself to answer her question. "I am no longer the Penguin. That is a life far behind me now. I am just plain old Mr. Oswald Cobblepot." He squinted his wrinkly face and his eyes towards Helena. "I've been out of the loop, but you have the eyes of Batman."  
  
"That would make sense because I am his daughter, the Huntress, and you'll forgive me for my skepticism."  
  
"The Huntress, huh? Well, under the circumstance, I do understand your cynicism. I suppose it would grow in the family."  
  
"Why, Dad? Why did you come find me? What is it you truly want?"  
  
"I am telling the straightforward truth, Danielle," He defended. It's been nearly ten years since I last saw you."  
  
"Are you telling me you have not come back to New Gotham to continue your life of crime?"  
  
"I will admit, I have been a lousy father," Oswald replied. "But I am sincere when I say that I have turned straight. The only reason I have come is to see you again, and perhaps repair some of the damage to our relationship that I have caused." Danielle struggled with her emotions as well as trying to figure out if he was telling the truth for once in his life. "I'm happy to see that you are using your special gift for good rather than following in my footsteps."  
  
"Well, I've had some good guidance, for once in my life," Danielle replied with a hint of anger behind her voice.  
  
"So, you're not ready to forgive me yet? Then Maybe there will be a day that you will be able to find it in your heart to do so. Until that day, I will be off and will not bother you anymore."  
  
"Dad, wait!" Danielle replied. "Perhaps it is time for us to sit down and talk. However, I have no place for you to stay. I live in a single bedroom apartment."  
  
"That is fine. I am willing to stay at a local motel."  
  
"Why don't you go book into a motel, while my friends and I talk for a while. I'll meet you at the Gotham Café in two hours from now."  
  
"Two hours it is," he replied.  
  
"And I'm keeping a close eye on you," Danielle warned.  
  
* * * *   
  
"I'm sorry for saying this, Danielle, but do not trust your father," Barbara said as she and the girls met to talk about this strange reunion. "Bruce and I have been burned to many times to believe that a man like him can go straight."  
  
"No offense is taken," Danielle replied. "However, I've looked into his eyes and have felt his heart beating. He is not lying, as far as I can possibly tell."  
  
"Maybe you should think about telling Gibson about this before this goes any further," Dinah suggested.  
  
"Why would I want to tell him?" Danielle said, pretending to be confused about Dinah's comment.  
  
"Oh come on. For someone who has the ability to tell if someone is lying or not, you are a pretty lousy liar yourself," Helena laughed. "We've seen the way you two look at each other."   
  
"It's obvious that you two are an item," Dinah smiled.  
  
"You're not reading my mind, are you?" Danielle looked over at Dinah threateningly.  
  
"I'm not! Honest to God!" Dinah laughed holding up her right hand.  
  
"Okay, I suppose Gibson and I have gone on a few dates, but that's all!"  
  
"You are a terrible liar," Helena laughed, gently shoving her on the shoulder.  
  
"Okay, he and I have recently decided to go steady. Happy?" Danielle replied, making a face at Helena  
  
"We're getting off the subject here, ladies!" Barbara announced. "Danielle, believe me, it would be in your best interest to let Gibson know about your father before you have your talk with your father."  
  
"You may be right. I don't want to hide anything from him," Danielle admitted.  
  
"There is one more thing I want you to do, Danielle, and this is not easy for me to ask this of you since we're talking about your father, but I want you to place a bug on him." Barbara handed a tiny recording device to Danielle.  
  
"I understand. I don't trust him either," Danielle said.  
  
"Now, the other matter I wanted to address is the way you used your powers today, Dinah. You have great power inside of you, Dinah, but try to refrain from using your new powers unless it is absolutely necessary? What you were doing before your new powers unlocked is the most you should do until you have had further training with your new found powers."  
  
"Okay, I promise not to use them!" Dinah apologized. 


	3. Confronting the Father

CHAPTER 3  
  
Danielle took the elevator down to the bottom level. As the elevator came to a halt, she raised up the metal door, leaving the outer wooden crate door in front of her. She went to knock on the door, but Gibson was already standing there, ready to lift the door open. "When I heard the elevator, I already figured it was you," Gibson said as he opened up the gate.  
  
Danielle walked into his arms and the two of them kissed. "So, what's happening? It's only nine O'clock. Shouldn't you be upstairs working the bar?"  
  
"I had the bar open for no longer than an hour, and Helena had snuck in to pay me a visit, but a villain decided to also pay a visit. I had to close the bar down and help Helena and Dinah."  
  
"Well, remind me never to get on your bad side," Gibson smiled. "How bad is the damage?"  
  
"Very little this time, thank heavens. I am tired of constantly replacing the window and fixing the bar. It's hard to make a profit when all my profits are going towards fixing the joint up."  
  
"That's where I can help. I will show you how to minimize your spending towards repairs. I am a professional at saving money." Gibson replied.  
  
"Gibson, I need to tell you something that you should know before we go to deep into our relationship." Danielle said, taking a deep breath.   
  
"I don't know if I like the sound of this," Gibson said, with a deep look of concern on his face.  
  
Danielle tried to think of the best way of putting what she was about to say to words. "My father has come to town."  
  
"What's so bad about that?"  
  
Danielle sighed. "How much do you know about the legend of Batman?"  
  
"From what I've been told, He's Helena's father, and was a hero who had saved Gotham countless of times."  
  
"Well one of his arch enemies was the Penguin."  
  
"Yes, Helena had mentioned his name as part of that list. Ten years ago, I heard on the news that he was released from Arkham and had never been seen since."  
  
"Well, that was until now," Danielle replied.  
  
"Is he the villain you were helping them defeat? What does all this have to do with your father?"  
  
"No, that was not the villain we fought. The Penguin, Oswald Cobblepot, is my father."  
  
"You don't say," Gibson replied.   
  
From what Danielle could tell, Gibson seemed unfazed by this startling announcement. "Aren't you mad at me or something? My father was a dangerous criminal master mind."  
  
"But are you a criminal master mind yourself?" Gibson replied simply.  
  
"Of course not!"  
  
"Then why should I be mad at you? You've done nothing wrong, and it's not your father that I am dating, it's his beautiful young daughter who is following her own path."  
  
Danielle blushed at his beautiful words. He had just made her the happiest woman in New Gotham. She leaned forward and kissed him, loosing herself in the heat of passion.  
  
* * * *  
  
When Danielle arrived to the café, she found her father waiting for her at a booth. His being early was a good start in trying to prove his sincerity about turning a new leaf; but by far, certainly, not the deciding factor. Danielle sat down across the table from her father. His scalp was bald, and the little hair he did have on the sides and the back of his head was purely white. Instead of the monocle that was his trademark, he wore tiny wired-framed glasses.  
  
Danielle didn't greet her father, as she sat down across from him. Oswald cleared his throat, knowing that he was going to have to start the conversation. "So, how have you been here in New Gotham?"  
  
"I've been fine," Danielle answered. She didn't know what else to say to the man she had not seen in over ten years, and that last time was when he was behind bars, and not the most pleasant of conversations.  
  
"So, what do you do?"  
  
"I'm a bartender, Dad," Danielle replied.  
  
"Interesting," Oswald replied. He knew that this was pointless chat. They had so much to talk about, but he had no idea where to start. "Listen, Danielle, I know I have been the worst father imaginable, but I would really like another chance."  
  
"Dad, you have said that countless of times, and every time you just return back to you life of crime."  
  
It was true. He had tried countless of times to go straight. One time, he even got married and his wife gave birth to Danielle, but shortly afterwards, he had gotten sucked back into the life of crime and was thrown into Arkham Asylum. While he was in prison, Danielle's mother divorced him, taking Danielle away from him. It was when she was high school, when she had paid him an unexpected visit in prison, which ended in her cursing him out and virtually disowning him. It was those harsh words that Danielle had spoken that haunted him to this day. "I know, honey. I've been a very lousy father. Will you ever be able to find it in your heart to forgive me?"  
  
Danielle eyed him suspicious for a second, but she felt the beating of his heart echo from his body to the floor. He was sincere about wanting to set things right between them. "I forgive you, Dad, but trust is something you will have to earn, and that will take time. However, you knowing about me aiding Huntress, you have to know that even after you have earned my trust, I will never share any of their secrets. They are out of your league from this point on."  
  
"I understand, honey," Oswald replied with a gentle smile.  
  
Danielle nodded. Danielle snuck out the bug that Barbara had handed her as she stood up. "Let's talk more tomorrow afternoon. I need to get going," She said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. The bug was in place, as she had promised. Now, only time will tell if she would be able to trust him again. 


	4. A Shady Father

CHAPTER 4  
  
The next day, Danielle went to the clock tower before going to speak with her father. She found Barbara on the metal platform, listening to what the bug that Danielle planted picked up. "Hi, Barbara. Hear anything interesting from overnight?"  
  
"No, not really," Barbara replied. "So, are you going to see your father again today?"  
  
"Yea, but what am I going to talk to him about? He's like a complete stranger to me. I feel very awkward around him."   
  
"I can understand that. He's been a complete stranger to you for most of your life."  
  
"It's like there so much to say, but at the same time, nothing to say. Does that sound weird to you?"  
  
"Not at all," Barbara replied. "I think Helena would know better than anyone what you mean."  
  
"Where is Helena, anyway?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure. She has fallen back into depression about her split up with Reese, and took off. I tried talking her out leaving her out in daylight, but you know her when she makes up her mind."  
  
"Yes, I do," she replied.  
  
* * * *   
  
Helena was standing on a roof top across from Reese's apartment. He was still at home, perhaps taking the day off. Helena found herself staring through his window at him walking around in his living room. She began to wish that she was in that room with him, sitting together on the couch and watching television. Not before now, has there ever been a time Helena had every felt the slightest desire to give up her hero mantle to live a normal life. She loved him so much, she would actually consider doing just that. Right now, that desire was small, and was sparked by just watching him in the room, but she did not feel ready to give up the mantle just yet. There were asses that still needed to be kicked from here to eternity. Her mother's death has yet to be avenged, though she had her chance with confronting Clay Face, but for some reason, taking him down did not satisfy the anger that she had felt. Even kicking Harley Quinn's ass did not ease her anger.  
  
But she missed being in his arms so much. Her body ached for his embrace once again. How long must she endure this separation? How can she ever survive this separation? It was tearing her heart to shreds.  
  
A tear streamed down the sides of her face. How she missed his lips on hers. She missed the way he always looked at her, and his precious smile. God, she missed him.  
  
* * * *  
  
Oswald Cobblepot was sitting in the cafeteria an hour before the scheduled meeting time between him and his daughter. He had to admit, his daughter was very intelligent. He had found the bug on his shoulder when he had returned back to his motel room. So, he had to do what he had come to do in New Gotham, while under the surveillance by the daughter of the bat: the Huntress.  
  
Just like her father, the Huntress was poking her nose where it didn't belong. No matter, he had found a way around this minute problem. He had it in his pocket so he could have it record his 'genuine' conversation with his daughter.   
  
He laughed as he pulled out a purple pill. This little pill that he made, which usually took an hour before it kicked in, would keep his heart beat steady, even when he's lying through his teeth. He could not have his daughter snooping where she didn't belong.  
  
A man entered the café in a tan trench coat. His face was hidden by the shadow of the tan hat that he was wearing. He looked around the bar and saw Oswald sitting in his booth. He made his way to that booth and sat across from him. "Mr. Penguin," he greeted, taking his hat off and placing it on the table.  
  
"Mr. Donaldson. I must say, you look remarkably healthy."  
  
"That's because I am," he grinned.  
  
"I heard about your little ideal with your disease and your healing."  
  
"Yup, I am disease free," Bill replied.  
  
"How did you get out or prison so fast?"  
  
Bill laughed, "All they had against me is kidnapping. So I'm out on bail! With my lawyer I can escape the whole ideal without any prison time."  
  
"That's good to hear," Oswald said. "Because I would have hated for our plans to be ruined. We have had this planned for over a year."  
  
"What about the Huntress?" Bill asked.   
  
"She is of no concern to me. She is inexperienced compared to her father, Batman. Not to mention that my daughter is friends with her. I can confuse my daughter so badly, that she will be more of a hindrance to the Huntress than an Ally."  
  
"We may just pull this off," Bill said.  
  
"How can we not, my friend!" Oswald leaned back into his cushioned seat. "Soon, every bank in New Gotham will be flat broke, and we'll be able to fund every criminal activity in the United States. We'll be the kingpin's of the underworld!" 


	5. Meeting the Boyfriend

CHAPTER 5  
  
Danielle met her father at the Café at the designated time. Just like before, he was there before her. He was really giving an effort to become close to her. "Hi, Dad!"  
  
"There you are, Danielle," Oswald said with a smile on his face. "Just on time."  
  
Danielle sat across the table from her father. "And you're early as usual."  
  
"What can I say," Oswald replied. "I'm anxious about getting to know a little about your life as of late.   
  
Danielle had been debating about telling him about her boyfriend through the night. She supposed that now was the time to put her trust to the test. "Well, you know I own a bar in New Gotham. I have a boy friend now."  
  
"Really?" Oswald said with a smiled.  
  
"His name is Gibson. He owned the bar before I arrived. He just recently moved back to New Gotham, and that's how we met."  
  
"Interesting. I would love to meet him someday, when you feel that you can trust me enough to do so."  
  
"How about in three hours from now, if everything is alright with Gibson that is. I have to give you the chance to earn my trust somehow."  
  
"That would be great! My daughter has grown up so fast. Where has the time gone?"  
  
* * * *   
  
Dinah found Barbara on the platform like always. Since Danielle's father had returned to New Gotham, Barbara had stayed on the platform listening to the bug intensely. Dinah would swear that Barbara was sleeping in her wheelchair on the platform. "Still listening to what the bug has picked up?"  
  
"Yes, I found something rather peculiar. There is a period of time where it picked up nothing but static. It started up precisely as Danielle entered the café. If you ask me, the timing is very suspicious. If there was a flaw with the bug, which there could always be, the timing would be highly erratic. The odd of it starting up exactly as Danielle entered the café by accident is about one and a million."  
  
"So you think Mr. Cobble pot is not shooting straight with Danielle?"   
  
"He's definitely up to something, but what, I have no clue. You and Helena better keep a very close eye on him."  
  
"I'll let Helena know what's up," Dinah replied.  
  
Dinah made her way to the front door as Barbara continued with her work. "What are you up to, Penguin?"  
  
* * * *   
  
Danielle went do to the lower level of the bar, to Gibson's apartment. Just like the last time, he was there ready to open up the wooden gate for her as soon as the elevator came to a stop and Danielle slid up the metal door. "You are going to run yourself ragged if you don't get some sleep!" Gibson said with a smile. "You work until five in the morning and now you are here and it's only noon time. With you living approximately 24.5 miles, traveling here at about 45 miles per hour, and taking in the count about an hour for the average person to shower, dress, straighten up, and then walk out the door…"  
  
"I understand, Gibson!" Danielle laughed as she raised her right hand to stop him with his super calculation by his super mind. "Yes, I should sleep more, but how can I when my father is back."  
  
"So, it sounds like you are excited about him being here now. Last night, you were suspicious about his return."  
  
"He seems to be serious about going straight and wanting to get to know me. In fact, today, I told him about you."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yes. I am becoming more confident that he is sincere about this. In fact, I want you to come and meet him. He is interested in meeting you."  
  
"You don't say," Gibson replied. "I would be glad to meet your father."   
  
"You are so good to me," Danielle said, kissing him on his forehead.   
  
* * * *  
  
It was three in the afternoon when Danielle and Gibson arrived to the café. Danielle's father was already sitting at a booth. "Father, I would like you to meet Gibson, my boyfriend."   
  
"Ah, Gibson. It's great to meet you!" Oswald stood up and reached out to shake his hand. Without anyone seeing, he placed the bug that was originally planted on him onto Gibson's sleeve. Oswald smiled as he shook Gibson's hand. 


	6. Something's Amiss

CHAPTER 6  
  
Danielle arrived to the clock tower, having a night off from working the bar. Tonight, Gibson agreed to handle the bar, which brought some much needed rest for Danielle. She decided to take some of the night and visit Helena. When she got there, she found Barbara, Dinah, and Helena on the platform. "Am I missing out on something?"  
  
"Danielle, we may have a serious problem here," Barbara said.  
  
"What kind of problem?" Danielle said.  
  
"Danielle, I am afraid that your father is not being straight with you."  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
"Because the bug has stopped working all together. It flickered off once before and came on exactly when you entered the café. I think your father knows about the bug."  
  
"Impossible," Danielle replied. "If he was lying I would know it because of my powers. I am detecting no deceit at all from him. The bug might just be malfunctioning."  
  
"I would attend to agree with you, Danielle, but the timing is just too coincidental. It malfunctioned after he woke up and turned back on just as you entered the café. It didn't miss a single word of conversation between you two. The timing is just too precise for it to be accidental."  
  
"I'm sorry, if this is the only evidence you have, then it's no way near enough to raise my suspicion. I can feel his heart beat, and his heart beat would speed up because of being under stress. Lying causes stress in the body. I detect no stress in him."  
  
"I don't understand what's going on, Danielle. Just please be careful. There is something amiss here."  
  
"He's my father, Barbara, and I know for a fact that he has gone straight. There is nothing to fear." Danielle had enough of this conversation and decided just to go home. She was too fed to have fun tonight. Maybe she could go find her father and spend some time talking to him.  
  
The three girls watched as Danielle stormed out of the Clock Tower. "Well, that didn't go well," Dinah commented.  
  
"Now what?" Helena asked.  
  
"You two keep a very close eye on Penguin. I will try to figure out what he's planning to do."  
  
* * * *   
  
Reese was on his way home, looking forward to getting a good night sleep when he found Dinah sitting on his front steps. Seeing Dinah sit their waiting for him reminded him of how it usually was Helena there waiting for him to get home. "Dinah? It's not safe for you to be seen in the public either. You too are now wanted by the police."  
  
"The Huntress and I need your help. Oswald Cobblepot has returned to New Gotham and we think he's up to something. He is otherwise known as the Penguin. He was an arch enemy of Batman. We believe he's up to something big, but he seems to be giving Oracle a difficult time trying to figure him out."  
  
"You actually think that I can do better than Oracle? You have all that technology that far surpasses my capabilities."  
  
"True, but he is very intelligent, and having battled Batman numerous times, he knows the way we think. Perhaps your lack of technology will prove to be the factor we need to stop him."  
  
"How have you been able to track him here in New Gotham in the first place?" Reese asked.  
  
"He's also Danielle's father. She thinks he is here to make amends with her, but we have evidence that makes Oracle suspicious of his real reason for coming back."  
  
"I don't quite understand how I would be able to help you, but I will take a look at our records at Arkham Asylum over the past twenty years and see if anything sticks out."  
  
"He and Danielle have been making frequent visits to the New Gotham Café, and he has always been there early. We don't know how long."  
  
"Interesting. I'll be on it first thing tomorrow," Reese replied. He walked past Dinah up to the door before stopping. "How has Helena been?" He asked, without looking back at her.  
  
"She's been okay, but she is still depressed," Dinah answered. "Are you two ever going to work things out?"  
  
"I don't know, Dinah. I still care for her deeply, but I wish I could be sure that she felt the same about me. She didn't care for me enough to allow me close to her when she needed help. That's when I had to rethink about where our relationship was going." Reese opened up the door and walked into his apartment before closing the door behind him. 


	7. Reese's Discovery

CHAPTER 7  
  
Reese visited Arkham the next day and was permitted to look in the records for a former inmate known as the Penguin. He was handed the profile and he sat down and took a look at it. He found interesting facts about Cobblepot's history, and as he suspected, there were no records of him being captured by Batman. Batman's name never appeared once in the file. According to this profile, The Penguin had tried to pull of some of the New Gotham's heists. He seemed interested in not just robbing valuable items, but doing a big heist; a heist that would be considered the greatest of all time.   
  
So if he was up to something, he would be out to outdo any previous heists attempts of his past. Reese chuckled. For him to do that, he would have to do something that was absolutely impossible. There was no way anyone could out do these heists.  
  
Reese closed the profile. "Well thanks, guys!" He said to the officers as he handed them the file.  
  
"When you arrived here, we thought you were going to ask us about Bill Donaldson, since he has been let out on bail. Guess we were wrong," The officer laughed.  
  
"Wait, Mr. Donaldson is out of jail?"  
  
"Yea. He's been out a whole week. Apparently, His hundred thousand dollar bail was paid. That's what happens when their rich. They can just buy their way out of prison."  
  
"Mr. Donaldson is rich?"  
  
"Come on, detective, are you telling me that you don't know any of this?" The officer laughed.   
  
"Entertain me."  
  
"Well, I hear that he has more money than you can shake a stick at. If rumors are to be believed, he has a little money stacked away every bank in New Gotham."  
  
"Interesting," Reese replied. "Thanks for your help."  
  
* * * *  
  
"I can't believe they released that son of a…" Dinah said angrily. "How come the murder charge never stuck?"  
  
"He probably has connections and bought himself out of it," Reese replied. "He has money in every single bank in new Gotham."  
  
"What did you say?" Something sparked inside of Barbara's brain."  
  
"I said he has money in every bank in New Gotham, if the rumors are true."  
  
"Earlier, you said that the Penguin is known for his trying to pull off the biggest heist in New Gotham history. That's true. He has tried to rob every type of rare diamond there was. Right now, there is no special item of incredible value."  
  
"And where is this leading to?" Helena asked.   
  
"If there is nothing of incredible value, then how else would he try to pull of the greatest heist in New Gotham History. The only way he can outdo all his previous attempts is by trying to rob every bank in New Gotham at the same time."  
  
"How is that possible?" Dinah asked.  
  
"What if the Penguin has joined forces with Bill Donaldson. He would be allowed into every bank and withdraw his money. When we are talking about the Penguin adding his two cents, then they can rob the bank clean. Mr. Donaldson gets his money out of the bank and a little extra, and the Penguin gets a huge share for himself. Bill Donaldson is the key to get into those banks."  
  
"Do you suppose these two have been meeting at the Café before Danielle's arrival?" Helena asked.  
  
"There is no proof of any of this, but it makes sense," Barbara replied.   
  
"It still doesn't make sense how they can do this at every bank at the same time," Reese replied.  
  
"When we're talking about the Penguin, anything is possible," Barbara replied.  
  
"Now, how about Danielle? This is her father we're talking about here."  
  
"We can't tell her just yet until we get the proof. Reese, is it possible for you to stake out at the cafeteria and see if we can get proof of these two know each other?"  
  
"I think I can do that," Reese said with a grin. 


	8. A Crooked Father

CHAPTER 8  
  
The moment the doors of the New Gotham Café opened the next day, Reese was there, and hid himself in a booth, behind a newspaper. He could glimpse over the newspaper to see who entered the café. It was early morning, and for the first few hours, only a few people had come to get their morning coffee. It was not until 7 in the morning when business began to pick up.   
  
His wait finally paid off as Oswald Cobblepot entered the café. He took a sip of his coffee as he continued to hide behind the newspaper. He did not have to wait long at all to see Bill Donaldson enter the café. Reese was now convinced that Donaldson and Cobblepot were working together. Reese stood up and folded his paper. He left a dollar tip for the waitress and made his way out of the café. As he passed Cobblepot and Donaldson's table, he threw a tiny ant sized bug under their table without the two of theme ever knowing. Now, Barbara would be able to hear how their heist is going to go down.  
  
* * * *   
  
By the time Reese arrived to the clock tower, Barbara, Helena, and Dinah were discussing plans to thwart the Penguin and Mr. Donaldson's plan. "I assume that you heard what you were looking for," Reese said, joining the three ladies on the metal platform.  
  
"Yes. Apparently they are going to be traveling all through New Gotham, robbing each bank individually. It sounds like Bill will be going to each bank to withdraw his account and then the Penguin will come in and rob the bank blind. They plan to do this at every bank in New Gotham."  
  
"When I think about the biggest heist in New Gotham history, this does not come to my mind."  
  
"I suppose our imaginations were getting the best of us. In any case, we now know the Penguin's true reason for being here. I think now is the time we tell Danielle."  
  
"Tell me what?" Danielle asked, walking through the front door.   
  
"I think you better listen to this recording," Barbara said, as she typed a command to replay the recording.  
  
Danielle listed to her father making plans with another person how they were going to rob New Gotham of all of its money. She also heard her father explain how he was able to fool her by taking a special pill. She felt her heart brake as she heard the recording. Hey eyes swelled up as tears streamed down the side of her face.  
  
Barbara stopped the recording. "I'm so sorry, Danielle."  
  
"How could I have been so stupid and actually believe his lies?"  
  
Helena stepped over to her friend and put a hand on her shoulder. "Will you be okay? Let Dinah and myself handle this."  
  
"No!" Danielle replied. "You guys stay out of this. This is my responsibility and mine alone."  
  
* * * *   
  
Danielle and her father had previously planned to meet on Johnson Street, so she decided that would be where she would confront him for the last time. As always, he was there before her, and now she knew why he was always early. "There's my daughter!" Oswald said. He noticed that her face was cold and unwelcoming. "is there something wrong?"  
  
"Dad, you lied to me. You have no interest in getting to know me. You're hear strictly to rob New Gotham."  
  
"Honey, what are you talking about? I'm here because of you. You know I am speaking the truth, because of your powers."  
  
"I know you've been taking a pill to prevent your heart from being stressed. I know you are working with Bill Donaldson to rob every bank in New Gotham one at a time. I know you are going to do it. Bill will go into each bank to make a withdrawal, giving you a chance to come in and rob the bank. I'm not going to let you do this!" Danielle said angrily.  
  
Oswald began to laugh. "So, you've found another way to bug me without me knowing it. Very well done, Danielle, but it's too bad that I knew about it before hand."  
  
"What?" Danielle was confused. She looked behind her to see Bill Donaldson step up behind her with a gun pointed at her.  
  
"I have intended for your friends to hear that message. The truth of the matter is they heard a false plan. We are going to rob every bank in new Gotham at one time! It is a brilliant plan! This bank right here will be where it all takes place!" Oswald said. His eyes began to glow red.  
  
Danielle gasped in disbelief. What was this her father was doing? How could his eyes be glowing like that. "I don't understand?"  
  
Oswald laughed mockingly. "You see, I have always been a meta-human myself. All these years, I have hidden my powers for the right time to destroy Batman! Unfortunately, he is no where to be seen, so I will have to settle with his daughter, the Huntress! My powers give me a super brain. From this bank, I can access every bank in New Gotham, and with a few strokes of the key, I can transfer all the money in New Gotham to my Swiss bank account."  
  
"How is that going to keep the Huntress and myself from kicking your ass!" Danielle said.  
  
"Because brute force does not win a fight, intelligence does," Oswald said with an evil grin on his face. 


	9. Father Against Daughter

CHAPTER 9  
  
"Forget Huntress, this is between you and me!" Danielle spun around and kicked the gun out of Bill Donaldson's hand. Danielle immediately leaped over her father and landed on the other side, putting both men in front of her. The Penguin raised up his right hand when Bill Donaldson went to charge at her. "I will handle this." Penguin took two steps forward, with his umbrella in hand. "Are you really ready to take on your old man? Do you have it in you?"  
  
"Does this answer your question, Father!" Danielle leaped into her action. She tried a spin kick for his face, but the Penguin raised up his umbrella and held it with one hand on each end to block the kick.  
  
Penguin let go of the top end of the umbrella and pointed it Danielle. A blue gas sprayed into Danielle's face. She began to cough and wheeze as she fell to her knees. She began to get light headed before she fell to the ground. "That was easy."  
  
"It's not going to be that easy, Penguin!" Came another voice. He turned around to see the Huntress and Dinah standing there.  
  
"I want Donaldson!" Dinah said, staring at him angrily.   
  
Dinah charged at Bill. Bill backed up nervously, knowing that he was outmatched. He could not escape Dinah as she kicked him across the face, sending him stumbling into the wall. Bill put his hands in front of him to keep himself from crashing into the wall. He turned around just in time to see a fist coming at him. He barely got out of the way of Dinah's fist.  
  
Helena attacked the Penguin with a high kick, which he blocked with his umbrella. With a press of a button on the handle of the umbrella, a razor sharp blade popped out from the tip of the umbrella. He swung the umbrella wildly trying to slash her across her chest. The huntress stepped back to avoid the blade. The penguin went for a second swipe. This time she stepped in closer, and raised up her left arm and the fabric part of the umbrella was blocked, not allowing the blade to make human contact. Helena kicked his wrist, sending the umbrella up in the air, and out of his hands. She then leaned onto her right leg and kicked the Penguin in the chest with the flat of her left foot.  
  
The Penguin stumbled backwards a few steps before regaining his composure. With fire in his eyes, he came charging at Helena. With him being overweight, she assumed that he would be too slow and weak to prove to be a challenge in hand-to-hand combat. That would prove to be a mistake on her part. He came at her with surprising speed, delivering a powerful punch that sent Helena crashing into the brick building behind her.  
  
Bill Donaldson had done an okay job in avoiding Dinah, but he was quickly getting tired. Finally, he was able to regain possession of the gun that was kicked out of his hand. He swung the gun towards Dinah. "I've had enough of you!"  
  
Dinah waved her left arm and an invisible force ripped the gun out of his hands. He knew at that instant that it was over for him. Dinah was upon him in a flash with a kick across his face. Bill Donaldson flipped in mid air before landing on the ground unconscious.  
  
Helena was leaning up against the wall as the Penguin had picked up his umbrella and pointed it at her. "Say good bye to your powers!"  
  
Suddenly, the Penguin stumbled forward, dropping his umbrella. Standing there behind where the Penguin used to stand was Danielle. "Forget about it. I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else!"  
  
The Penguin climbed up to one knee when Helena walked up to him. Helena went to kick him unconscious, but he raised his right arm to block the kick. With his left hand, he grabbed his umbrella and used the hook handle of the Umbrella to hook Helena's left ankle, causing her to fall on her back.  
  
The Penguin was back on his feet and spun around towards his daughter. Danielle went to punch him in the nose, but her father caught her wrist in his left hand. "It's a shame it has to be this way, Danielle. I would have loved for you to join me as my partner in crime, but let's face facts, you would never join me, now would you?"  
  
"Like hell I would!" Danielle said angrily.  
  
"I thought so," The Penguin replied. Without warning, he kicked her in the stomach. She bent forwards, gasping for air, as he swung the umbrella and hit her up in the side of her head, sending her tumbling to the ground.   
  
Suddenly, the umbrella was ripped from his hands and thrown away from him. The Penguin looked around franticly to see what had happen when he saw Dinah standing there, besides the unconscious Bill Donaldson. From the look in her eyes, he knew she was the one the robbed him of his umbrella.  
  
He took one step towards her when a boot came crashing into his face, sending him stumbling backwards. The Huntress took another step towards him and did another spin kick across the side of his face. The Penguin stumbled to his right, nearly falling face first to the ground. He made a mad dash for his umbrella, where the blade was still sticking out the top of the umbrella.   
  
Danielle had jumped back to her feet, as he ran past her for the umbrella, accidentally tripping him. He stumbled forward until he fell on top of the umbrella. The Penguin did not get up, which caused the three girls to approach him. It was Danielle who noticed the pool of blood from under her father's stomach. "God, no!" Danielle gasped as she carefully rolled him around onto his back. The blade had rammed through his stomach.  
  
He coughed and wheezed as blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth. "Danielle, I wish it didn't have to be like this."  
  
"If you truly meant that, Dad, then you would have stopped this before it got out of hand."  
  
"Ah, so much like your mother. So much like your mother," Oswald said as his eyes gently closed and he took his final breath. 


	10. Officially a Bird

CHAPTER 10  
  
Commissioner O'Reiley paid a visit to Harley Quinn, who loved it when he paid her a visit. He approached the plastic cell. Harley was sitting on a wooden stool. "So, how goes it in the outside world?"  
  
"If my sources are correct, New Gotham was paid a visit from the Penguin. Apparently he tried to rob every bank in New Gotham."  
  
"That fat buffoon can't do anything right," Harley grinned.  
  
"Well, fortunately that was true, or our plans would have been postponed a little bit. We can not wait much longer. If we do, some villain will come and try to outdo us."  
  
"I agree, Bane, my darling. This cell is getting awfully cramped," Harley said.  
  
"Patience, my love. We are in the homestretch. Very soon, New Gotham will be ours."  
  
* * * *   
  
Barbara used the two poles for support, as she took baby steps towards the other end. Dr. Maxwell stood to the side as he watched her do it without him backing her up. She showed more strength than she did the last time which was a very good sign. She was moving a bit more quicker as well. He sat there, with his hands folded in front of him. She was three quarters of the way there, before she showed signs of fatigue. Barbara refused to give in to her fatigue.   
  
Her strain was becoming more visible in her arms as they shook. She was placing more and more weight on them, depending on them more and more with each second that went by. Finally, she reached the end of the two poles and she was done.   
  
Dr. Maxwell rushed over to her with the wheel chair where he helped her turn around and sit down. "Congratulations, you did it! How does it feel?"  
  
Barbara wiped the sweat from her eyebrows. "It feels damn good!" Barbara grinned.  
  
"Excellent. You are now ready to continue your training on your own. My job here is done."  
  
"What? You mean you're not coming back?" Barbara said with surprise.  
  
"You don't need me anymore. Just continue to do this exercise, and eventually, you will not need those poles anymore. You will know when you are ready for that. There is nothing left for me to do here."  
  
It was funny, when he first began her rehabilitation, their two similar rough qualities conflicted terribly, and it annoyed her to no end. Now, she was almost scared to see him go. "Well, then. I guess this is good-bye then. Thank you for everything you've done for me."  
  
"It was my pleasure to see you again and work with you. I wish you luck on your future." The two of them shook hands.  
  
* * * *  
  
Barbara, Helena, and Dinah joined Danielle on the ledge outside the clock, looking out upon New Gotham. Helena placed a hand on her shoulder. "How are you holding up?"  
  
"I'll be okay. I am not all that sad, to tell you the truth."  
  
"Well, however you look at it, you still loss your father. That's not something that you can just forget about," Barbara replied. "It's okay to feel a little pain. You may not have known your father that well, but he was still your father."  
  
"Well, I suppose I have officially joined the club. Now all four of us have lost someone."  
  
Helena smiled. "It must be a unofficial cosmic rule to be counted as a hero." The four girls laughed, as they stood there at the ledge, looking down at the beautiful landscape.   
  
THE END  
  
YOU ARE JUST 1 STORY AWAY FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE 3 PART SEASON FINALE!   
  
COMING SOON  
  
THE HUNTRESS HAS ALWAYS USED THE ANGER OF HER MOTHER'S DEATH TO GUIDE HER ON HER HERO'S JOURNEY, BUT NOW HER ANGER WILL BE USED AGAINST HERSELF AND HER FRIENDS. AFTER MANY YEARS OF HOLDING ON TO THE ANGER, SHE MUST FINALLY RESOLVE HER ANGER OR DIE.  
  
EPISODE 8: HELENA VERSUS THE HUNTRESS 


End file.
